title: Naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) in ashes from a fuel-oil power plant in Cienfuegos, Cuba, and the associated radiation hazards.
abstract: The radioactivity of NORM was measured in ashes collected from a fuel-oil power plant in Cienfuegos, Cuba, using an HPGe gamma-ray spectrometer. The (226)Ra, (210)Pb, (40)K, (232)Th and (238)U activity concentrations reached 240, 77, 59, 70 and 15 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The potential radiological hazard of these residuals was assessed. The radium equivalent activities of the samples varied from 54 to 345 Bq kg(-1). The gamma index was calculated to be lower than that of the reference values, and the gamma absorbed dose rate was higher than the average reported for the earth's crust; however, the assessed annual effective dose was slightly lower than the annual effective dose limit for public, i.e. 1 mSv. Therefore, these bottom ashes were not dramatically enriched with radionuclides and may be used as an additive for building materials without restrictions from a radiological protection point of view.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudios Ambientales de Cienfuegos, AP 5. Ciudad Nuclear, Cienfuegos, Cuba.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Alonso-Hernández
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bernal-Castillo
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morera-Gómez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guillen-Arruebarrena
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Cartas-Aguila
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Acosta-Milián
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D003462:Cuba; D005648:Fuel Oils; D005843:Geography; D007856:Lead Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D011197:Potassium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D011210:Power Plants; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D011883:Radium / Q000032:analysis; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D013051:Spectrometry, Gamma / Q000379:methods*; D013910:Thorium / Q000032:analysis; D014501:Uranium / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D005648:Fuel Oils; D007856:Lead Radioisotopes; D011197:Potassium Radioisotopes; D011868:Radioisotopes; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive; D014501:Uranium; D013910:Thorium; D011883:Radium